In this ‘explainer’, the Royal Town Planning Institute describes how England's planning system contributes to the delivery of new energy infrastructure projects.
Why is energy planned?
Our energy infrastructure is planned to make sure that places have the power they need. Planning also helps to ensure that the UK meets its commitments to reaching net zero and move away from fossil fuels.
Planning policy and decisions can have a big impact on the supply of energy and on demand for energy. Planners work to identify which projects are appropriate and where they are needed to guarantee power will be available to homes and businesses. They also recommend where new homes and businesses should be built to avoid creating demand in places that would be difficult to supply with power.
How is UK energy planned?
Under the current system in England either local councils or the relevant Secretary of State decides to grant planning permission for energy projects, depending on how big they are.
The UK Government is responsible for deciding which large and “nationally significant” infrastructure projects should be built to generate energy or transmit it to customers. Cabinet Ministers will judge any new proposal against their department’s ‘National Policy Statements’ which explain, for example, what type of energy projects we need to achieve net zero, if cables should run above ground or below it, or what standards of public consultation are needed to progress with different types of energy proposal.
Smaller projects are considered by local councils in England who make decisions against their area’s ‘local plan’, a document which explains how the local communities’ needs will be met through the planning process and outlines the council’s vision for the future of their area. Councils can also require new and existing buildings to become more energy efficient or generate their own energy to reduce local demand for power.
At both levels, decisions take a wide range of priorities into account including national ambitions like energy security but also the local environmental impact of infrastructure projects and whether communities have been properly consulted about new proposals.
Why is there so much political debate about planning for energy?
Rising energy prices have had a severe impact on the public’s living standards and on businesses’ running costs in recent years. This has led to discussions about the UK’s energy security and frustration with the planning process for new energy infrastructure and uncertainty about government energy policy.
The RTPI and others have noted that the process of securing planning permission for new infrastructure projects has taken longer and cost applicants more in recent years, making it harder for the UK to secure investment for energy and produce its own power.
The business community have also seen planning as an important enabler of economic growth because planning can help to create a market for new ‘greener’ energy sources, including new low-carbon and renewable technologies. Many other sectors also see planning as a route to growth because poor access to power can limit the development of facilities they need for manufacturing, data centres and other industrial uses.
Communities have also been drawn into debates on our energy infrastructure because applications to introduce ‘on-shore’ transmission pylons, wind turbines, solar panels, etc… must consider the community engagement that projects have received and their environmental, aesthetic and other impacts on surroundings areas. In some rural areas this has included debates about whether land should be better used for agricultural or for energy purposes.
What needs to change?
In a report for the National Infrastructure Planning Association, planning experts suggested that our infrastructure planning system has resulted in some benefits since it was introduced in 2008 but acknowledged that challenges remain.
Prior to the General Election the RTPI called on the next government to give greater certainty about energy and other types of infrastructure. We suggested this could be done by publishing clearer, more spatial and up to date ‘National Policy Statements’. These documents explain what infrastructure is needed currently but they do not identify suitable locations for new projects, leaving communities and project promoters unsure about what will be permitted.
Without clear direction in government policy, project promoters and critics can also be unsure if their voices will be heard and are motivated to debate each proposal in more and more detail, further drawing out the process. In contrast, a more ‘spatial’ approach to infrastructure policy would increase certainty for both developers and communities. This will accelerate delivery in turn.
Some critics of the infrastructure planning process have suggested that bill discount schemes would incentivise more communities to welcome new infrastructure development in their area. The RTPI believe this would not be appropriate because individuals, rather than whole communities, would benefit. This could divide communities, rather than unite them. However, schemes to encourage long-term community ownership and stewardship of new energy infrastructure would be a more effective way of sharing the public benefits of energy with the residents most affected by it. We’d support recognising governance arrangements like these when proposals are considered in the planning process.
We’d also support aligning energy investment with the planning of new homes and communities so that infrastructure can be delivered ‘first’, for example, making sure capacity and access to the electricity grid is built ahead of new homes and other types of development. This would help to avoid delays in the construction process and reduce build costs.
Further reading
- Blog from Madeleine Pauker: Infrastructure planning reforms should be more spatial (2023)
- Blog from Richard Blyth: Unlocking sustainable development through planning (2023)
- A Smarter Approach to Infrastructure Planning (2019)
